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No longer Neukölln, but Berchtesgadener Land: it emerged on Monday that, according to the Robert Koch Institute, nowhere have there been so many new infections in the last seven days as in the Bavarian district, not even in the Berlin district, that has one of the youngest Corona. -Hotspots is.
Meanwhile, the so-called 7-day incidence has dropped slightly from 252.06 to 236.01, according to the district office in Berchtesgadener Land. These values relate to the status of the reports at ten o’clock. Bavarian Agriculture Minister Michaela Kaniber had given an even higher value of 272.8 later on Monday. You must include late records that were missing in the morning value.
But the numbers are still worryingly high. The district office reported another 40 confirmed infections since Monday. In total, there are 260 infected people in the district, nine of them are in hospital. 698 direct contacts are in quarantine at home.
At 2 pm this Tuesday, strict exit restrictions took effect in the district, including leaving the apartment for 14 days only “if there are valid reasons”, such as going to work, shopping or being outdoors Air – allowed.
Bernhard Kern (CSU) has been the district administrator since May 2020. His calendar is full of appointments this Tuesday: SPIEGEL reached out to him by phone shortly before the afternoon press conference. He talks about how people deal with the renewed strict measures and explains why he has a problem with the term blockade.
SPIEGEL: Since May, Berchtesgadener Land has been the first district in Germany to re-impose strict exit restrictions due to the pandemic, closing schools and restaurants and completely banning events other than religious services. How do people deal with it?
Kern: In general with a lot of understanding. From time to time, of course, I receive information that there is occasional dissatisfaction. But your health is very important to most people. We are currently the highest incidence district nationwide, so it is particularly important to me as a district administrator that the number of infections in us drops again rapidly.
SPIEGEL: Can you explain why your numbers have skyrocketed?
Kern: Right now we can’t explain ourselves. There are so-called fuzzy finds throughout the district, in all cities, markets, and communities. A while ago we had a small access point due to a private party, but this party is certainly not the only trigger for the large number of cases we have now.
SPIEGEL: Markus Söder compared the measurements to a block. However, you don’t want to use the term. Isn’t it just an objection?
Kern: For me it is not one and that is why I do not use the word. We have defined the measures in such a way that we expect them to remain acceptable to all citizens of the Berchtesgadener Land district. Of course, you are decisive, that is clear. For example, we found it very difficult to answer the question of whether we would actually close all schools.
SPIEGEL: What else would have to be added to make it a lock on your eyes?
Kern: It should be like in the neighboring state of Salzburg in the municipality of Kuchl. They have issued a quarantine that will prevent citizens from leaving the community. Public life comes to a complete standstill. With us, at least it remains true that citizens can shop for their daily needs. And they are allowed at the door; it’s good for your health if you can go out and take a walk.
SPIEGEL: What are your hopes for the measures, which are now limited to 14 days?
Kern: I am really hopeful that the infection numbers will decrease. The incidence will probably be more than 35 or 50, but let’s move away from the more than 200 that we have now. I hope that regular school operations can resume on November 9 after fall break.
SPIEGEL: What threatens citizens who do not adhere to the measures?
Kern: The words voluntariness and solidarity are central. Common sense tells us that we should all limit ourselves now. So I assume that people will stick to the guidelines.
SPIEGEL: But if they don’t, will there be fines? The general decree mentions up to 25,000 euros.
Kern: That will be difficult to implement and it is not our will. Now reason and solidarity are the order of the day in the Berchtesgadener Land district.
SPIEGEL: How is your health department dealing with the growing number?
Kern: We do not have personnel problems, on the contrary. We have the support of the Bundeswehr, the police and the Ministry of Health. In total, we have over a hundred people from CTTs (contact tracing teams) who help us track the chains of infection.
SPIEGEL: Have you ever experienced something similar in your time as a local politician?
Kern: No. Never really. In 2015 I was the mayor of a small community with 5,500 inhabitants and at that time I experienced the issue of refugees. I’ve already learned a lot there. But that’s a really intense and different dimension.
SPIEGEL: How was your daily life in the last days? Do you even fall asleep?
Kern: Naturally. I can always sleep. It’s only one part of taking the proper recovery phases, but there aren’t many at the moment.
